Truss.



B. M. HEPLIN.

TBUSS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 25. 1914.

Patented Jan.5,1915.

Attorneys HE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHHU WASHINGTON. n. 1

BERT M. HEFLIN, OF FREMONT, NEBRASKA.

TRUSS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1%15.

Application filed March 25, 1914. Serial No. 827,183.

T) all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Bear M. HEFLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at llreinont, in the county of Dodge and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Truss, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a truss, and one object of the present invention is to provide novel means for assembling a pad with the body encircling, supporting portion of the truss in such a way that the pad may rock without rotating and may move radially of the body of the wearer, resilient means being prolvided for limiting the movement of the pac.

it is within the scope of the invention to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

in the drawing :Figure 1 shows in perspective one form of truss constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken in a vertical plane passed through the pad; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the pad; Fig. 1 is a detail perspective showing a portion of the mechanism whereby the pad is connected to the body encircling support.

111 carrying out the present invention there is provided a body encircling support or band which may be of any desired construction. 1n the present embodiment of the invention but not necessarily, the body encircling band or support is shown as comprising resilient parts 1 which may be rubber covered, back pads 2 being secured to the rear ends of the resilient parts 1. By means of securing elements 3, the forward ends of the resilient parts 1 of the body engaging support or band are attached to the ends of a front plate 4 provided with one or more longitudinal slots 5, the number of slots 5 being determined by the character and number of the ruptures to be retained.

Any desired number of pads 6 may be provided, the same being fashioned from vulcanized rubber. in its outer face, each pad 6 is equipped with a relatively shallow recess 7 at the base of which is formed a circumscribing groove 8 defining a depressed but slightly protruding platform 9 having an opening 10 which is of unequal transverse dimensions. A plate 11 is applied to the platform 9 and is held in place by securing elements 11 which may be screws. Around its periphery, the plate 11 is equipped with a projecting flange 12 which surrounds the edge of the platform 9 closely and enters the groove 8 to aid in holding the plate in place. In the plate 11 is formed an opening 1%.

The invention further includes a stud 15, threaded at one end as indicated at 16. The threaded end 16 of the stud 15 is located in one of the slots 5 of the front plate 1 and nuts 17 on the threaded end 16 of the stud 15 bear against the inner and outer faces of the front plate 1 and serve to hold the stud in place. The stud 15 passes through the opening 1% in the plate 11 and is equipped at its inner end with a transverse head 18. The head 18 is curved upon its inner and outer edges as shown at 19. A compression spring 20 surrounds the eX- posed portion of the stud 15 and bears against the plate 11 and one of the nuts 17, or against the front plate a if the spring is suiiiciently large in diameter. It will be understood readily that by loosening the nuts 17 the stud 15 may be shifted longitudinally of the body encircling portion of the truss, the stud 15 moving in the slot 5. Thus, the position of the pad 6 may be shifted circumferentially of the body of the wearer, the pad being held in its adjusted position by tightening up the nuts 17 so that the same engage opposed faces of the front plate 1. The spring 20 thrusts the pad 6 toward the rupture, but the pad cannot become detached from the stud 15, by reasonof the fact that the superficial area of the head 18 on the stud is greater than the diameter of the opening 14 in the plate 11. Especial attention is directed to the fact that the pad 6 may rock or tilt upon the stud 15, the spring 20 serving to hold the pad in place yieldingly for rocking or tilting movement.

The rocking or tilting movement of the pad is facilitated by the reason of the fact that the edges of the head 18 are curved as shown at 19. The pad 6 cannot rotate and thus become displaced from the rupture, by reason of the fact that the longer transverse dimension of the head 18 is greater than the shorter transverse dimension of the opening 10 in the pad 6. Not only may the pad 6 rock as above described but,-as Well, the pad may move bodily, longitudinally of the stud 15, the spring 20 being compressible to permit such an operation.

The structure hereinbefore disclosed is of peculiar utility and ef iciency owing to the fact that when the wearer of the truss exerts a somewhat violent action in the adominal Wall, as takes place during laughing, coughing or sneezing, the pad 6 will rock or tilt and Will move longitudinally of the stud 15, thus accommodating itself readily to the abrupt changes produced in the contour of the abdominal Wall.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is A. truss embodying a support; a pad having a polygonal opening; a plate on the pad; a stud secured to the support and passing through the plate, the stud having a polygonal head engaged in the opening to prevent a rotation of the pad, but fitting loosely in the opening to permit the pad to rock upon the stud and to slide longitudinally of the stud; and yieldable means for resisting the rocking and sliding movement of the pad on the stud.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

BERT M. HEFLIN.

Witnesses J. H. WILLIAMS, J. V. ELLIOTTv Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

